Seams, shoes and methods of making same incorporating flat lasted work



- May 15, 1962 Q A 3,034,463

SEAMS, SHOES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME INCORPORATING FLAT LASTED WORKOriginal Filed Nov. 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A? In van for y 15, 1952 o.R. HAAS 3,034,463

SEAMS. SHOES AND METHODS OF MAKI SAME ORPORATING FLAT LASTED W OriginalFiled Nov. 9, 6

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,034,463 SEAMS, SHOES AND METHODSOF MAKING SAME INCORPORATING FLAT LASTED WORK Otto R. Haas, Wenham,Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J.,a corporation of New Jersey Original application Nov. 9, 1956, Ser. No.621,219, now Patent No. 2,901,993, dated Sept. 1, 1959. Divided and thisapplication Oct. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 770,803

10 Claims. (Cl. 112-262) The present invention relates to improvedthread seams, particularly intended for use in the manufacture of shoes,to methods for inserting such seams, and to improved shoes, in which thethread seams embodying the present invention are employed. Thisapplication is a division of my pending application Serial No. 621,219,filed November 9, 1956, now Patent No. 2,901,993, granted September 1,1959.

Numerous types of seams and methods of inserting them have been devisedheretofore for the purpose of connecting the bottom parts of shoes withtheir uppers, and in most cases it has been found desirable to concealthe threads in the seams inserted, either to improve the appearance ofthe shoes or to protect the threads in the seams from the deterioratingaction of moisture, wear or other destructive factors. It is,accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved threadseam, a method of inserting the same, and a novel form of shoecontaining such seam. A seam embodying the invention is particularlywell adapted for sewing together a shoe upper and a sole superposed onthe upper with a single thread, which is carried double through theopposed surfaces of one part of the shoe, emerges from the same surfaceof that part, and is passed around an integral tongue in the other partto form a concealed stitch.

A feature of the invention relating to the method comprises passing aloop of thread through a surface of one of the parts, which is opposedto the other part, withdrawing the loop from the same surface andthereafter carrying the withdrawn loop about an integral tongue cut fromthe opposed surface of the other part. Preferably, the tongues are cutin the sole part of the shoe, since this part has a relatively greaterthickness to provide material for the tongue, so that when each loop istightened the surrounded tongue will be pressed back into the recessfrom which it was cut and the thread of the loop will be concealedwithin the substance of the sole.

The invention will readily be understood from the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of the head of a machine suitablefor practicing the method of the present invention, together with aportion of a shoe being operated upon by the machine;

FIG. 2 is a view in right side elevation, partly broken away and shownin section, of the machine and shoe illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view on an enlarged scale of the machinetaken along the line Il-I]I[ of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged sectional view of a portion of a shoeformed with an improved scam inserted by the machine;

FIG. 5 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of a tongue cutting knifeshown 11 FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a seam illustratingthe process of insertion and taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 6,showing a modified form of a seam capable of being inserted by themachine; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view on a slightly'reduced scale "ice showing aportion of the shoe being operated upon by the machine, and illustratingthe manner in which a loop of thread is engaged with a tongue cut fromthe sole of the shoe.

As illustrated in the drawings, a seam is provided to secure togetherthe parts of a flat-lasted shoe, a single thread, indicated at 8, beingformed into a series of loops passing through and emerging from one ofthe shoe parts and being engaged with integral tongues cut from theother part along an opposed surface thereof. The seam is inserted insuch a way that when the thread is tightened it will be concealed.

The shoe operated upon is constructed with an upper 10, an insole 12,and an outsole 14. After assembly the marginal portion of the upper 10is tensioned successively along the shoe and is brought into conformitywith a last 16 (FIGS. 2 and 4). While tensioning the upper it isoverlapped with and temporarily secured in flat-lasted relation to themarginal portion of the insole 12. The outsole is then attached alongits central portion in superposed relation to the insole by one or moretacks 18 (see FIG. 8) driven into the tread surface of the last 16.

In order to provide a commercially acceptable seam with concealedstitches which may be inserted conveniently by machine, the seam of thepresent invention is formed by carrying loops of thread through theoverlapping margins of the upper and insole. To anchor the thread loopsthey are passed around elongated integral tongues 20 cut from theoutsole 14. The tongues 20 are cut in such manner that they anchor thethread loops securely, the thread intersecting both the opposed surfacesof the insole and outsole while passing through the marginal portion of.the upper. To insure efi'fective attachment, the tongues are formed inthe outsole directly opposite to the point in the upper from which eachthread loop is withdrawn. To assist in the practice of the method bymachine the marginal portions of the outsole are deflected from theupper opposite the sewing point so that the thread may be manipulatedproperly.

Two forms of seam are illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings. Inthe first form (FIG. 6) the thread 8 is carried double through the upperand insole to provide single loops passing around the tongues 20 of theoutsole :14. The stitches are inserted and tightened progressively byengaging the thread Within the space between the deflected marginalportions of the outsole and the insole. To assist in formation of thestitches a novel loop spreader and tongue inserter 22 is provided inhairpin form, the ends being enlarged and notched at 24 and the centralportion provided with a circular spring 26 tending to separate the ends.The notched ends are arranged when pressed together to enter a loop ofthread as illustrated in FIG. 8 and to hold it in spread position forconvenient insertion of the corresponding tongue 20 of the outsole.After insertion of a tongue 20 the loop of thread in the next succeedingthread loop is carried through the upper and insole, as shown in FIGS. 6to 8, inclusive. It is then possible to reach into the space between thediverging outsole and upper with one of the notched ends of the inserter22, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, to tighten the stitch provided bythe previous loop and inserted tongue. Thereafter, the newly formedthread loop is withdrawn and spread in the same manner to such an extentthat the next succeeding tongue may be inserted therein.

In the form of stitch illustrated in FIG. 7, instead of inserting atongue -20 into each single loop, two loops of thread 8 are spread forthe insertion of each tongue. Not only is the loop of thread 8, which iswithdrawn from the upper brought into surrounding relation to a tongue,but also a secondary loop connecting successive stitches is consideringthe compressibility of most leather materials and the many forms ofequivalent elastic synthetic material, the seam and method of insertingit render it susceptible for permanent attachment of such parts in themanner outlined under a wide range of conditions. When the stitches aretightened the opposed surfaces of the parts are brought tightlytogether, the threads when tensioned being embedded therein, asillustrated in FIG. 4.

A machine suitable for uniting the outsole to a flatlasted shoe upperand insole by the improved scam in the manner above set forth isillustrated more particularly in FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive. The machine isconstructed with a main frame 28 supported at the upper end of a rod 30formed at its lower end with a pedestal of similar flared mounting (notshown). The main frame carries an oscillating curved hook needle 32arranged to penetrate the lasted marginal portions of the upper and alsothe insole 12 to emerge from the same sides of the upper and insolethrough which it enters.

To actuate the needle it is secured within a curved groove at one sideof anarm 34 by a plate 36 (see FIG. 2), a clamp screw 38 passing looselythrough the plate and into threaded engagement with the arm 34. The arm34 is rotatable about a shoulder screw 40 threaded into the frame 28 ina horizontal position and the outer end of the arm carries a knob 42 forconvenient manual operation, the needle being secured to the arm inconcentric relation to the shoulder screw 40.

As has been stated, the outsole 14 opposite the point of sewingoperation is deflected to provide free space for the needle, so that theneedle may engage the upper to the exclusion of the outsole. To theseends, as shown in FIG. 2, a portion of the frame 28 is shown extendingdownwardly to form a hollow guide 44 arranged to engage the shoeopposite the point of needle operation as the shoe is presented to theneedle. At its lower end the guide 44 is beveled to fit the angle of theinsole 12 while the outsole is deflected by the guide into averticalposition. To prevent escape of the sole margin after being deflected bythe guide 44, the tread surface of the outsole is engaged by an angleplate 46 adjustably secured to an under surface of the main frame 28 bya screw 48 passing through a slot in the angle plate and into threadedengagement with the frame. After each penetrating stroke of the needlethe loop withdrawn is engaged by the tongue inserter 22 to complete theformation of the stitch.

To out each tongue in alinement with the point at which the needleoperates by withdrawal of a loop of thread, the outsole deflecting guide44 has a vertical passage, in which is mounted a reciprocating knife 50,the lower end of the knife being formed with an upwardly and rearwardlyinclined U-shaped blade. When the blade is raised and pressed rearwardlyits U-shaped edge engages the outsole to cut a tongue 20 at the properlocation.

The upper end .of the knife is in the form of a rectangular barslidingly mounted in a spring pressed carrier 52. The carrier 52 ismounted for yielding horizontal movement on a pair of pins 54, eachsecured at one end to the carrier and slidingly mounted in openings inthe main frame 28. The carrier and the frame are counterbored to receivecompression springs 56 acting to force the carrier and the knife barforwardly away from cutting position. When the blade of the knife islowered and the carrier pressed rearwardly, it is then raised whileengaging the outsole to form a tongue by movement along the surface ofthe sole engaged by the guide 44.

To retain the tongue cutting knife in raised inoperative position, theupper end of the cutter bar is turned to a cylindrical shape withthreads to receive checknuts 58 acting against a washer 66 between whichand a washer 62 resting on the frame 28 is a compression spring 64surrounding the bar. To actuate the bar and carrier the bar has ahorizontal threaded opening engaged by the threaded shank of a handle66. When the handle is forced downwardly the spring 64 is compressed andwhen pressed rearwardly the carrier is moved correspondingly to engagethe edge of the knife with the outsole of a shoe, the angle plate '46providing a backing against which the cutting takes place.

Cooperating with the needle 32 after it emerges from an upper is asimple and effective form of looper 68 rotatably mounted on a hollowshaft 7! fixed to an arm 72 projecting to the left of the main frame 28.The looper 68 extends downwardly from a hub surrounding the shaft 70 anda short crank handle 74 extends from the hub of the looper. The thread.8 is guided through the hollow shaft 70 and through an eye at the lowerend of the looper, the arrangement being such that when the looper isrotated while the needle is in full depth penetrating position, as shownby the broken lines of FIG. 1, the thread will be laid in the needlehook. To assist looping, the looper is frictionally retained in positionby a compression spring 76 confined between a nut 78 on the shaft andthe hub of the looper. After each stitch is inserted the shoe is carriedin the direction of the. arrow in FIGS. 1 and 3 to bring it intoposition for the insertion of the next stitch.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated,.what isclaimed is:

1. A method of making shoes which consists in applying an upper and aninsole to a last, flat lasting the marginal portions of the upper tothose of the insole, attaching the central portion of an outsole insuperposed relation to the insole and flat lasted marginal portions ofthe upper, deflecting the marginal portions of the outsole from theupper, and forming a tongue on the outsole, in which method a loop ofthread is drawn through the parts to connect them together by carryingthe loop of thread successively into the surface of the upper marginopposed to the outsole, withdrawing the loop from the same surface, andthereafter passing said loop of thread about the tongue to preventretraction of the loop.

2. A method of making shoes which consists in applying an upper and aninsole to a last, flat lasting the marginal portions of the upper tothose of the insole, attaching the central portion of an outsole insupemosed relation to the insole and fiat lasted marginal portions ofthe upper, deflecting the marginal portions of the outsole from theupper, and forming a tongue on the outsole, in which method a loop ofthread is drawn through the parts to connect them together by carryingthe loop of thread successively into the surface of the upper marginopposed to the outsole, withdrawing the loop from the same surface, andthereafter passing said loop of thread about the tongue to preventretraction of the loop, the loop of thread which is drawn through theupper also entering the substance of the insole.

3. A method of making shoes which consists in applying an upper and aninsole to a last, fiat lasting the marginal portions of the upper tothose of the insole, attaching the central portion of an outsole insuperposed relation to the insole and flat lasted marginal portions ofthe upper, and deflecting the marginal portions of the outsole from theupper, in which method a loop of thread is drawn through the parts toconnect them together by carrying the loop of thread successively intothe surface of the upper margin opposed to the outsole, withdrawing theloop from the same surface, cutting a tongue from the surface of theoutsole opposite the point Where the loop is withdrawn, and thereafterpassing said withdrawn loop of thread about the tongue to preventretraction of the loop.

4. A seam for sewing together shoe parts comprising a flat lasted upperand an outsole superposed thereon by concealed stitches formed by asingle thread which enters and emerges from the contacting surfaces ofboth parts at points spaced along each of said surfaces for each stitch,and which is carried double through one of said parts in the form of aloop and passed around an integral tongue out from the thickness of theother part, said tongue being located on the surface of said other partwhich is in contact with said one of said ports.

5. A seam for sewing together shoe parts comprising a fiat lasted upperand an outsole superposed thereon by concealed stitches formed by asingle thread which enters and emerges fi-om the contacting surfaces ofboth parts at points spaced along each of said surfaces for each stitch,and which is carried double through the upper in the form of a loop andpassed around an integral tongue out from the thickness of the outsole,said tongue being located on the surface of the outsole which is incontact with the upper.

6. A concealed seam connecting a first member formed with integraltongues in one of its surfaces and a second member having a surface inover-all contact with the surface of the first member in which thetongues are formed, the seam comprising lengths of a single threadpenetrating the second member and terminating in loops each wrappedaround the entire cross section of a tongue, that part of the threadexclusive of that which penetrates the second member and he loopswrapped around the tongues lying entirely between the contactingsurfaces of the two members.

7. The seam according to claim 6, in which a double loop is wrappedabout a portion of the cross section of the tongue.

8. The sea-n1 according to claim 6, in which the thread emerges from asingle opening extending in the direction of the seam in the secondmember.

9. A shoe comprising a fiat lasted upper and an outsole connectedtogether by a seam as defined in claim 6, and wherein said first memberin which the tongues are formed is the outsole and said second member isthe upper.

10. A shoe comprising a flat lasted upper and an outsole connectedtogether by a seam as defined in claim 7, and wherein said first memberin which the tongues are formed is the outsole and said second member isthe upper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS678,539 Carleton July 16, 1901 1,081,197 Barnett Dec. 9, 1913 1,512,238Reed Oct. 21, 1924 1,992,968 Sherman Mar. 5, 1935

